MATRIX V - MVHE-TARC

2009-2010 Competition!!

2009-06-24T20:07:00.000-07:00

The rules for the '09-'10 competition have been announced!

The rules for TARC 2010 offer a new kind of challenge to the student teams, forcing even teams that may have entered TARC previously to go "back to the drawing board" and learn some new rocketry skills. While the flight goal remains flying an egg to a precise altitude (825 feet this year) and duration, the teams this year will be required to use a completely different type of recovery device to return the egg and altimeter: a streamer rather than a parachute. The techniques for achieving the duration goal with a streamer are quite different; it's harder, and it will put a new emphasis on protecting the fragile egg payload.

Our Western Days 'Float'

2009-06-01T18:50:00.000-07:00

Western Days Parade 2009!

2009-06-01T18:15:00.001-07:00

Our Team participated in the Western Days Parade this Saturday and had a great! A big thank you goes to everyone who supported our team!

I will try to post some pictures of our team and the work we have done over the last six months soon.

Matrix V TARC Team

Qualification Results are in!

2009-06-01T18:10:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone for all your support for our team this year. Unfortunately we were one of the 530 teams that did not qualify for the national finals. Our score was 24.2. We have built a great foundation of experience for next year’s team. Our hope is that you will continue to support the scientific exploration of future TARC teams. We have learned so much and are very grateful for all that you contributed to make our success possible. Plans for the summer - Rocket Testing! See you all again soon.
“The Sky is No Limit!”
The Matrix V TARC Team

ROCKET LAUNCH!

2009-02-19T21:21:00.000-08:00

Time and Date: Saturday, February 28, 2009
Rain Date: Sunday, March 1, 2009
Time: 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Location:
3373 N 3400 E
Kimberly, ID
For directions call: Ben @ 948-5822

We are planning on having our first test launch for the Team America Rocketry Challenge! We need to test some Engines, Altimeters, Recovery Systems, and different ways to protect the egg in the payload section .
We should be launching our test rocket at least four times with mid-power engines, as well as launching some of the other rockets built by the team members.

Feel free to grab a couple rockets and engines and join us for the afternoon!

Family Bingo Night - Fundraiser

2008-12-26T07:52:00.001-08:00

We will be having a Family Bingo Night on January 17, 2009 to raise money for our rocket construction. Come and join us at the Community Christian Church at 303 Grandview Drive at 6:30pm to play some Bingo with an opportunity to win prizes. The cost to participate in the Bingo game is $5 per person for ten games. We will also have desserts available for the participants that night.

The team will be giving an update on their progress and share their plans for reaching the goal of competing nationally.

This is a family BINGO event. Join us for prizes and dessert. Everyone is welcome!

Community Christian Church
303 Grandview Drive
Twin Falls, ID

$5 for 10 Games of Bingo

Congatulations Don Wiggins!

2008-12-01T18:41:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who purchased raffle tickets for our fundraiser. Through your support, we have raised over $1,500! Congratulations to the winner of the two Micheal W. Smith concert tickets - Don Wiggins.

Our first fundraiser!

2008-11-13T21:46:00.000-08:00

Tuesday November 18 at 6:30 p.m.
The Twin Falls County Museum
21337-A Highway 30, Twin Falls

Please Join us for dessert.
We will be giving a presentation
and having a raffle and auction.

We need your support! Join the team!

2008-11-10T20:48:00.000-08:00

There are three main areas of funding that we will need to successfully support our team.

We have already registered our team and paid the registration fee which was $105. Our first area of need for funding will be for the rocket design and building. The designing of our rocket(s) requires the purchase of the design program, Rocsim, which will cost $70. Previously, two of our team members have successful designed, built, launched and recovered a rocket using this program. We need to acquire this program immediately so that we can start designing our rocket!

The second area of funding is the actual rocket building process. For this we will need a total of $4000. Half of this amount will be designated completely to the purchase of rocket engines. The other half will be designated to the materials for the construction of the rocket(s).

Our third area of funding will be when we qualify for the finals in Virginia. The first portion is airline tickets for the team members to Virginia. The second is for room, board and transportation while in Virginia. This funding can be pledged, dependent upon our qualification to the finals. So you do not need to provide these funds until we are assured of our position in the finals. Just a pledge so we know what we can expect and plan accordingly. Donations of items and services will be accepted to raffle off for fundraising as well as your cash donation which will be deposited into a bank account in the name of MVHE-TARC team. Lastly, any money that is beyond our needs for this year’s team will be left in that account for the next year’s TARC team.

Your name and company logo can be displayed on the team’s shirts and banners in appreciation for your support of the Magic Valley’s first team to compete in the Team America Rocket Challenge!

MVHE-TEAM BIOs

2008-11-10T20:46:00.000-08:00

Anna Graff, the only girl on the team is 17 years old. Her interest in rocketry started with a love for astronomy which led her to studying the NASA space program. She developed her skills and knowledge of rocketry and aerospace in her ten years of 4-H. She hopes to someday go to NASA.

BenJamine Miller is a 16 year old native of Twin Falls. He has always been interested in space, flying, and explosives, just as most any boy would be. His dad has built rockets with him since he was very small. Ben participated in 4-H aerospace and rocketry projects. His plans for the future are to attend the Naval Academy soon after graduating to become a Naval Pilot.

Jonathan Bruce is 15 years and an asset to our team with his rocket building skills which he learned in 4-H. In addition to his hands on design contributions, he will manage the team’s finances. Jonathan strives to excel in his education with the intention of serving his country in the Air Force after graduating high-school.

Tyler Jones is 15 years old and in the 9th grade. He is the youngest person on MVHE-TARC Team. He brings tested skills with eight years of rocketry experience and has built seventeen rockets. He hopes to pursue a career in engineering or technology.

Tabor Davison is 16 years old. One of Tabor’s goals is to receive a gold medal in the Congressional Award program. Tabor has also served in the United States Civil Air Patrol for two years. He plans to join the United States Air Force like his father. After leaving the Service, he hopes to join the police force and serve on the Swat team. Tabor gained his rocketry experience in 4-H.

Why participate in TARC?

2008-11-10T20:43:00.000-08:00

$60,000 in Annual Prizes for Students & Schools

*This event is an annual nation-wide rocketry-based aerospace design and flying challenge competition for student teams of 7th-12th graders.
*It is conducted during each school year starting in September, leading to a competitive face-to-face fly-off for the final prizes among the top 100 teams nationally. This is held in late May at The Plains, VA, near Washington, DC.
*It is sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) on behalf of America’s aerospace industry, and by the National Association of Rocketry (NAR).

PURPOSE
The purpose of the Challenge is to teach students aerospace science by having them design and build a safe and stable model rocket that lifts a fragile payload (one raw egg) to exactly 750 feet and has a flight duration of exactly 45 seconds, at the end of which it returns this payload to earth safely and undamaged.
*Models must be made of non-metal materials such as balsa, paper and plastic, must weigh no more than 3.3 pounds at liftoff, and must use commercially-made, NAR safety-certified model rocket motors widely available in local hobby stores.
*Altitudes are determined by a small, accurate commercially-made electronic barometric altimeter carried within the rocket, and read after the flight.

ELIGIBILITY & ENTRY
* Entry is open to groups of 3 to 10 students (7th - 12th grade) who must enter as a team sponsored by a public or private school, home school association, or non-profit youth group, under the supervision of an adult from that school or group.
*Visit the event website to register. Entry opens in early September and closes December1st. Visit the NAR website for information about America's largest sport rocketry organization.

What is TARC?

2008-11-10T20:42:00.000-08:00

The Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) is the world's largest rocket contest, sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) and the National Association of Rocketry (NAR). It was created in the fall of 2002 as a one-time celebration of the Centennial of Flight, but the enthusiasm about the event was so great that AIA and NAR were asked to hold the contest annually.

Approximately 7,000 students from across the nation compete in TARC each year. Teams design, build and fly a model rocket that reaches a specific altitude and duration determined by a set of rules developed each year. The current goal is to design, build and fly a one-stage model rocket to an altitude of 750 feet, keep it aloft for 45 seconds, and return 1 raw egg unbroken. The contest is designed to encourage students to study math and science and pursue careers in aerospace.

The top 100 teams, based on local qualification flights, are invited to Washington, DC in May for the national finals. Prizes include $60,000 in cash and scholarships split between the top 10 finishers. NASA invites the top 20 teams to participate in their Student Launch Initiative, an advanced rocketry program. AIA member companies, such as Lockheed Martin and Raytheon have sponsored additional prizes such as scholarship money and a trip to an international air show where the team will compete against the top team from the UK’s rocket challenge for the international title!